UNISON is the UK’s largest health union. More than 60,000 UNISON members work in the NHS in Scotland: nurses, student nurses, midwives, health visitors, healthcare assistants, paramedics, occupational therapists, cleaners, porters, catering staff, medical secretaries, clerical and admin staff and scientific and technical staff.
UNISON cares passionately about the future of the NHS as a publicly funded service that is free at the point of delivery. The NHS is a public service we can all be proud of, and UNISON wants to keep it that way.
See also important information for workers registered with regulatory bodies.
Speaking up for Scotland’s health workers
UNISON organisers and activists work together to make sure our members’ concerns are heard – whether it’s about pay, health and safety, discrimination or the future of our NHS.
- Offering advice at work;
- Representing our members in the workplace
- Lobbying parliaments and government on issues our members care about;
- Negotiating terms and conditions for NHS Scotland staff;
- Raising professional and local concerns that affect all health workers.
- Standing up for the NHS and broader health services
Health News
Moving to monthly pay will cause hundreds of low-paid NHS staff to fall into debt and hardship, says UNISON
Around 600 NHS staff could be forced to take out loans to make ends meet if their employer switches from ... Read More
NHS staff vote to accept two-year pay offer, says UNISON
NHS staff have voted to accept the Scottish government’s two-year pay offer, says UNISON today (Thursday). Members of Scotland’s biggest ... Read More
Enable Scotland workers announce strike dates
Care staff working at Enable Scotland are to go on strike in a dispute over pay, their union UNISON has ... Read More
Lack of rest breaks for ambulance staff putting patient safety at risk
Paramedics and other ambulance staff are being asked if they are willing to take strike action in a dispute over ... Read More
UNISON recommends NHS staff vote to accept pay offer
Thousands of NHS staff are being urged to vote to accept the Scottish government’s two-year pay offer in a ballot ... Read More
NHS Scotland staff to be balloted on pay offer, says UNISON
NHS staff in Scotland are to be consulted on an above-inflation two-year pay offer, says UNISON today (Tuesday). The union ... Read More
Huge rise in private ambulance costs across NHS Scotland is the ‘tip of the iceberg’, says UNISON
Cash-strapped Scottish health boards are paying increasing amounts of their overstretched budgets to private ambulance firms, new figures published by ... Read More
e-brief – Insourcing of Adult Residential and Home Care
This briefing provides recent examples of where, how and why adult social care services have been returned in-house ('insourced') to ... Read More
Anger grows as NHS staff are left high and dry on pay
Scottish health secretary Neil Gray must start NHS pay talks before April, says the country's biggest health union, UNISON today ... Read More
Briefing 150 – NCS Bill Update: National Care Service abandoned
The Government has finally abandoned its plans to create a National Care Service (NCS). This was confirmed to Parliament on ... Read More
Latest briefings and submissions
Winter preparedness – response to Health, Social Care & Sport Committee
This is UNISON Scotland's response to the Scottish Parliament's Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s call for evidence[1] for the ...
Briefing 130 – Consultation on Safe Staffing Statutory Guidance
The Scottish Government is consulting on its draft Statutory Guidance for safe staffing in health and care. The Health and ...
Briefing 129 NHS Pension Contributions Changes Consultation
The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) is consulting on increasing the overall contribution made by members to the NHS pension ...
Briefing 127 – Scottish Household Survey 2021
This briefing looks at some key findings of the Scottish Household Survey 2021. This is a general population survey carried ...
UNISON Week 343 – NHS and social care in crisis and more
UNISON Week 343 - NHS and social care in crisisand more ... Read full newsletter here ...
UNISON Week 342 – NHS In Crisis – Taking The NCS Campaign To Parliament.
UNISON Week 342 - NHS in crisis, taking the NCS Campaign to Parliament. Read full newsletter here ...
More on briefings page